Today we finish our series comparing a successful campus pastor with a successful NFL quarterback.
4. A successful quarterback improvises when necessary
The difference between a good quarterback and a great quarterback is his ability to improvise. No matter how clever the offense, how carefully crafted the game plan or how precise the execution there comes a time in every game when the quarterback has to call an audible. He can’t check with the coach, discuss it with the team or refer to the playbook. He simply relies on instinct and does what he believes to be best for the team at that moment. The great quarterbacks, the ones who win Super Bowls and make millions in endorsements, are masters of improvisation.
The ability to improvise is also key to a successful campus pastor. At Seacoast we have detailed guidelines for every ministry; we mentor, train and monitor our campus pastors. But at the end of the day it is the ability of the campus pastor to respond to the unique needs of his congregation which determines the success of his campus. There is a well-known saying in the military, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” The same is true in multi-site ministry. There is no one-size-fits-all plan of ministry that applies in all situations and communities. An effective campus pastor understands the ministry plan and DNA of his church, but he also has the freedom and initiative to change and adapt ministry to meet needs.
Can you teach someone to be a great campus pastor?
What we have discovered at Seacoast is that you can teach the skills of being a campus pastor; how to conduct an effective weekend service, how to counsel, how to organize a staff. But the basic building blocks have to be in place first. When we are looking for a campus pastor we look for someone who is already great at leading himself, leading through a team, working within a vision and being able to improvise. When we find a leader like that, we know we have a potential Super Bowl winner on our hands.
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